The present invention relates to a wine bottle stopper. More particularly, the present invention relates to a decorative vacuum wine stopper.
Wine is typically bottled in glass bottles having a narrow neck with a central opening. Once filled with wine, a wine bottle is typically sealed with a cork, synthetic cork, or screw top cap. After being bought, the wine bottle is opened by removing the cork or screw top cap. Once opened, air is capable of entering into the bottle which can affect the wine's properties. Typically, exposure of only a few hours is not significant and a small amount of oxygen can actually improve the properties of the wine. However, if the wine is not drunk within a few hours, oxygen from the air can have a harmful effect to the remaining wine. This is because the oxygen from the air which has entered the wine bottle will continue to alter the wine's properties over time even if the wine bottle has been sealed relatively rapidly. These harmful effects become more noticeable as time passes and can render the wine undrinkable.
Non-vacuum bottle stoppers have been known for a very long time. Though a bottle stopper may consist of a simple reused cork, very fanciful constructions have also been developed. Fanciful bottle stoppers are particularly desirable when a wine bottle is going to be conspicuously displayed on a countertop or bar after the initial portion of wine has been consumed. Examples of decorative wine bottle stoppers include that described in U.S. Pat. No. D658,985 which illustrates a wine stopper having a tree-shaped appendage, U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,594 which illustrates a decorative balloon construction, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0122524 which includes a lighted snow globe appendage, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,090,381 which also includes an electrically lighted unit. Unfortunately, none of these decorative and fanciful constructions which might be considered pleasing to the eye will extend the life of the wine within the wine bottle.
Various constructions have been introduced to reduce the harmful effects of oxygen upon wine. For example, a wide variety of vacuum stoppers have been developed for sealing a wine bottle which also allows for the evacuation of air from the wine bottle's interior. A typical vacuum stopper includes a lower neck portion and an upper portion. The neck portion is typically cylindrical and sized for insertion into the circular opening of a wine bottle's neck. In addition, the neck portion typically includes ribs for providing a gaseous-type seal between the vacuum stopper's neck portion and the wine bottle's neck. Meanwhile, the vacuum stopper's upper portion typically has a shape which is too large to enter into the wine bottle's circular opening. In addition, the vacuum stopper includes a longitudinally extending conduit which extends entirely through the vacuum stopper's upper portion and lower portion. A one-way valve is located within the conduit which allows air to leave the wine bottle's interior, but not enter into the wine bottle. Once the wine bottle stopper's neck has been positioned within a wine bottle's circular opening, a pump is used to evacuate air from the wine bottle's interior.
Advantageously, vacuum wine stoppers can substantially extend the drinking life of the wine within a wine bottle. Disadvantageously, vacuum wine stoppers are typically ugly utilitarian constructions.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved vacuum wine stopper which has a pleasing appearance.